MATT LAUER, co-host:
Now to what could become a costly lesson in honesty for two
Minnesota
brothers. It all began when an 11-year-old made an incredible $50,000 hockey shot at a charity event, but his twin was supposed to be the one who took it.
Dave Berggren
from the
NBC
affiliate
KARE-TV
is in
Blaine
,
Minnesota
, with details on this.
Dave
, good morning to you.
DAVID BERGGREN reporting:
Hey, good morning,
Matt.
You know, it is still being talked about here in
Minnesota
. We love our hockey stories. And you've seen it before. Fans get pulled down to take a half-court shot at a basketball game or kick a field goal at a
football game
. Well, in this case, it was an amazing center ice shot that went in for $50,000. But that cash still very much up in the air at this point. Who knows what's going to happen. Insurance company still trying to figure this out, and you'll find out why in just a moment. We'll give you some perspective on that shot in just a moment as well. But
either way
, cash or no cash, an amazing sports memory. What are the odds of this happening? An 89-foot shot into a tiny opening in the net. But it happened last Thursday in
Faribault
,
Minnesota
, and people who witnessed it couldn't believe it.
Unidentified Man:
I just was amazed. I just said, 'Oh, my gosh, it went in.'
Unidentified Woman:
Crowd went crazy. We were all screaming.
BERGGREN:
The incredible shot happened between periods at a celebrity hockey charity game. Fans paid 10 bucks for a chance to take a shot at a $50,000 prize, shooting a three-inch puck into a three-and-a-half-inch opening.
Offscreen Voice:
Nick Smith
.
BERGGREN:
Nick Smith
was the lucky name drawn, and from center ice the unbelievable shot went in.
Mr. NATE SMITH:
The crowd was going nuts.
BERGGREN:
But wait, it turns out this wasn't
Nick Smith
at all. It was his
twin brother
,
Nate
.
Nick
was outside of the building when his name was called, so their dad told
Nate
to take the shot.
Mr. NATE SMITH:
I know how to shoot and stuff...
BERGGREN:
Yeah.
Mr. NATE SMITH:
...so I lined it up and, yeah.
BERGGREN:
So what was your reaction when you heard that your brother made it?
Mr. NICK SMITH:
Well, I went in the arena and my friend, he was like, '
Nathan
just won $50,000.'
And I
'm like, 'Yeah, right.' And then I walked in and
Nathan
's sitting on --
Nathan
was standing on the ice.
BERGGREN:
But after making the shot, the boys' father decided that honesty was the best policy and came clean with charity officials about the sibling switch and who really made the shot. And while officials decide whether the
Smiths
will get the $50,000, the twins already know what they'll do if they get to keep the money.
Mr. NATE SMITH:
Put most of it in our bank for college.
BERGGREN:
For college? OK. Maybe give some away?
Mr. NICK SMITH:
Yeah.
BERGGREN:
Yeah?
Mr. NATE SMITH:
Yeah. For our school, maybe buy some stuff and donate some stuff.
BERGGREN:
Cool. Well, people who saw the shot, who were witnessing that shot, said the place erupted like it was
Game 7
,
Stanley Cup
final match. I spoke to the dad; he said, 'Hey, I looked around for
Nick
, couldn't find him. I sent
Nate
, not thinking in a million years that a shot would actually go in.' Well, the magic on the ice happened. Again, an 89-foot shot from center ice. You get one chance. Let's give you some perspective here. Yeah, go right, go right. You got to talk to it a little bit. Yeah, that's not happening. No cash coming my way either. Insurance company still trying to figure out what they'll decide. No word on whether they'll get the $50,000 or not.
Either way
, still pretty cool moment. Guys, back to you in
New York
.
LAUER:
It is, very cool moment.
Dave Berggren
,
thank you very much
. So, Savannah?
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, co-host:
I say -- well, I would just give them the money. They were honest, they came forward. And it's not like they premeditated it,
Matt.
The dad said one kid was outside and then the other one was ready. Someone had to take the shot. Dad came forward.
LAUER:
As our executive producer,
Jim Bell
, says, 'First it's a hockey shot, then it's dates in
high school
. And then where does it go from there?'
GUTHRIE:
They're going to use the money for college,
Matt.
